SIUE Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy to Raise Asthma Awareness with May 21 Kick-Off Event in East St. Louis

May 19, 2015, 10:33 AM

It’s an old problem that has gripped a vulnerable group of people for years, but Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy hope to breathe new energy into helping children manage asthma. SIUE health care educators are seeking to engage and empower those impacted, while consolidating efforts of those working to mitigate its effects.

“Asthma is the number one reason why children are hospitalized in the St. Louis Metro region,” said Dr. Lisa Lubsch-Bimpasis, a clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice.

“St. Clair County has the highest hospitalization rate in the entire state of Illinois, with East St. Louis residents being especially impacted by asthma,” added Dr. Rhonda Comrie, School of Nursing associate dean and founder of the Southwestern Illinois Asthma Coalition.

The coalition is partnering with Harmony Health Plan of Illinois and the City of East St. Louis for the East St. Louis Asthma Kick-Off event from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 21, at the East St. Louis City Hall Rotunda. One of the greatest women athletes of all time Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic track and field gold medal winner, will give a special message at the free event for families with children with asthma.

“We’ve done work in East St. Louis before, but the need is greater now,” said Lubsch- Bimpasis.

Comrie first wrote a grant for the Illinois Asthma Program more than 10 years ago. The grant is still in effect for the purposes of raising asthma awareness and intervening to reduce disease related problems. When Comrie first began her asthma education work, she collaborated with Lubsch-Bimpasis and others.

The two women have built good working relationships with other like-minded professionals in the area, namely representatives from the East St. Louis School District #189 and the YMCA East St. Louis.

Together, the unified group is also planning to host an asthma camp, scheduled for Saturday, June 27 at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center. The camp will focus on children, grades kindergarten-5th grade. The date for an asthma camp for children ages 6-12 has not yet been determined.

The asthma camp will help children answer these questions:

What is the disease?

What is your environment like?

What medication is needed? How do you use an inhaler?

How do you monitor asthma? What are the symptoms?

The location and history of East St. Louis have always caused hardships for those suffering with asthma, Comrie said.

“East St. Louis is well known for poor air quality and some of the local industry, such as old steel mills that sat on the Mississippi River,” added Lubsch-Bimpasia. “Everything blows across the river, and East St. Louis has become a haven for those things which negatively impacts those with asthma.”

Besides the asthma kickoff and upcoming asthma camps, Comrie said the grant program will continue its work of helping educate the public on how to manage the disease.

“Funds from the Illinois Asthma Program are used for education outreach, professional training and making resources available to other asthma educators in Madison and St. Clair counties,” Comrie continued. “We want children and their families to understand that having asthma doesn’t have to hold them back, and Jackie Joyner Kersee is a perfect example.”